February Planting in Southern California's Coastal Areas

February Planting in Southern California's Coastal Areas GardenZeus receives commissions for purchases made through links in this post. There is no additional cost to you. Gardeners growing appropriate varieties may succeed with planting a variety of cool-season crops and warm-season crops in your area. Below is Darren’s list of tasks for gardeners planting vegetables and herbs in February. To receive customized recommendations for varieties and cultivars for each vegetable and purchase seeds for spring-through-summer crops, enter your zip code.
  • Start seeds indoors and outdoors in warm, bright, protected areas; and transplant starts outdoors during warm periods for vegetables and herbs that are cold tolerant and less prone to bolting.
  • Irrigate new garden beds, wait 10 to 21 days prior to planting to flush weed seeds, and remove or till in weed seedlings.
  • Inspect and repair raised beds, garden structures, fencing, hose bibs, and drip or other irrigation systems.
  • In new beds or compacted soils, double-dig or loosen soil with a spading fork and remove stones and obstructions shortly before seeding new crops.
  • Amend soils prior to planting by surface dressing and/or gently working in compost, organic matter, manures, and other amendments.
  • Monitor new starts and seedlings daily to minimize plant losses during establishment.
  • Seed or transplant crops successively for successive harvest, especially of crops that you eat regularly or in large quantities.
  • Spot-plant in bare garden areas.
  • Add organic amendments and 1 to 1 1/2 inches of fine mulch after vegetable and herb starts are 3 to 6 inches tall.
  • Consider growing cover crops in dormant garden beds. Plan spring vegetable-and-herb plantings in well-drained, reasonably fertile, uncompacted soil with sunny southeastern to western exposures.
  • Purchase seeds for spring-through-summer crops.
GardenZeus has comprehensive, customized growing information by plant and zip code. To get started, enter your zip code here. Other articles of interest: New Year’s Resolution: Focus on Soil, Not Plants New Year’s Resolution: Compost More Waste New Year’s Resolution: Water Plants and Trees Deeply
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